1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to umbrella opening devices and more particularly to an improved opening device of an automatic umbrella, the device being capable of additionally retaining rib tips in a closed condition of the umbrella.
2. Description of Related Art
Opening devices mounted in automatic umbrellas are well known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,684,893 discloses a simplified controlling apparatus of an automatic umbrella. It is characterized in that a hollow main body is adapted to receive a spring biased control loop. A surface button is resiliently secured to the control loop. As such, one pressing of the button will automatically open the umbrella and a further pressing thereof will realize a closing of the umbrella thereafter. However, the prior art suffered from several disadvantages. For example, the control loop and the button are separate members. Thus, assembly precision of them is required to be relatively high, resulting in a time consuming manufacturing process and an increase in the manufacturing cost. To the worse, it is trouble-prone and unreliable in use.
Moreover, ribs of umbrella are at a small angle about shank in a closed condition thereof. As such, storage space of the closed umbrella is not reduced to a satisfactory degree. Moreover, rib tips of a closed umbrella may be tangled with foreign objects or other umbrellas when it is stored in, for example, an umbrella stand. This not only hinders the taking of the umbrella but also may deform or even break the umbrella. Thus, the need for improvement still exists.